James and the Dynamics of Personal Change

This past Sunday, we started considering the impact of the message of James on our political awareness. The issue we addressed had to do with personal change and politics. Much of what politicians talk about, their own philosophies and goals, involves change on the parts of their constituents. Why should a citizen vote for a particular candidate, or pay taxes, or support some piece of legislation? Sometimes, we do what we do because we are coerced into action: we pay taxes to avoid legal problems. We often vote for reasons of self-interest. We commit to an issue-oriented group (for instance, a pro-life organization) based upon conviction.

The question for believers, though, is will we include all our political activities in the conviction category. In the Bible, the ultimate goal for God’s people is for them to act ethically. The heart of the Ten Commandments is ethical conduct. In the New Testament, the same goal is taught. For instance, in the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk. 10.25f), when asked about eternal life and the Law, Jesus pointed out to his questioner ethical conduct is far superior to religious conduct. One can be religious without being ethical (the priest and the Levite who ignored the man in the ditch; the Samaritan acted ethically).

In James 1.19b-27, the author commented on personal change. James sought to show a difference between superficial change and fundamentally deep, personal transformation. James wanted the audience members hearing his letter who were followers of Jesus to be reminded of how a person becomes genuine and remains genuine.

James used the imagery of a person looking into a mirror to communicate his message. The metaphor had two intentions: (1) to describe the person who refuses to change; and (2) to describe the person who is changed and the dynamics of his transformation. Obviously, two kinds of persons made up the membership of James’s audience: those motivated by spiritual issues and those motivated by religious and physical concerns. With his mirror metaphor, James spoke to both groups.

Those who had religious and physical priorities were the first James described. These, James said, were only hearers of the Word. They look into the mirror, then go away, forgetting what kind of person they saw reflected. In actual fact, they were unconcerned with what kind of person they were; the main motives of this group were satisfying God through religious ritual and self-preservation through the amassing of power and wealth. How they got power and wealth did not matter.

The second group was described differently. Unlike the first, this class of persons not only heard the word, they did it as well. Their order of priorities differed fundamentally from the first group described. These hearers and doers looked into the mirror of the perfect law, the law of liberty and saw who they really were. Then, knowing God offers the ultimate protection, and God had already exalted them (see 1.9; being exalted is being raised up from one’s true poverty to God’s true wealth), they can committed themselves to the doing of the word. Doing the Word is first and foremost abiding by what the Word teaches, and, thus, being changed personally.

In the political world of his day, James knew believers had to have a different motive for their decisions than others. One group, the wealthy, wanted the Romans to stay in power so their affluence and power would be preserved. The rich were motivated entirely by physical concerns. They only heard the Word, they did not, in fact, abide by the demands of Scripture. They attended synagogue services, kept the Law, and at the appointed times went to the Temple. These people were ritually and religiously correct, but ethically corrupt. They “kept the Law” only to keep God happy. They were doing nothing more than checking blocks.

The followers of Jesus had a different set of values. True obedience, without regard to consequences, was the ultimate good for them. Even if they became political outcasts and were disenfranchised, they were to hear and do the true intent of the Law. James wanted them to understand only God would preserve them in whatever circumstances they found themselves , not politics, wealth, or the right connections.

We find ourselves in a similar situation today. Our political environment is different, but we face the same issues. Who does preserve us? Where does real power and wealth reside? Can we be politically involved and maintain our Christian convictions and values? I think James answers these questions.

Before Sunday, read James 2.1-13. Also, find a copy of the U. S. Constitution and read the preamble. Also, read the Declaration of Independence. Consider the questions, “Why was our country founded originally, and why was our republican form of government instituted?”